Sizemore, Susan
Sizemore, Susan
PERSONAL:
Hobbies and other interests: Knitting, collecting art glass, reading, watching basketball.
ADDRESSES:
E-mail—[email protected].
CAREER:
Has worked as an editor for Spec Press, as a chef, and an anthropologist.
AWARDS, HONORS:
Golden Heart Award, Romance Writers of America for Wings of the Storm; Sapphire Award, for a short story.
WRITINGS:
ROMANCE NOVELS
Wings of the Storm, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1992.
My First Duchess, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1993.
My Own True Love, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1994.
In My Dreams, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1994.
Nothing Else Matters, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1995.
After the Storm, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1996.
The Autumn Lord, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1996.
One of These Nights, Harper Monogram (New York, NY), 1997.
Stranger by Her Side, Silhouette (New York, NY), 1997.
The Price of Innocence, Avon Books (New York, NY), 1999.
His Last Best Hope, Silhouette (New York, NY), 2000.
On a Long Ago Night, Avon Books (New York, NY), 2000.
The Price of Passion, Avon Books (New York, NY), 2001.
Too Wicked to Marry, Avon Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Captured Innocence, Avon Books (New York, NY), 2003.
Scandalous Miranda, Avon Books (New York, NY), 2005.
"LAWS OF THE BLOOD" SERIES; FANTASY NOVELS
The Hunt, Ace Books (New York, NY), 1999.
Partners, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2000.
Companions, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2001.
Deceptions, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2002.
Heroes, Ace Books (New York, NY), 2003.
"PRIMES UNIVERSE" SERIES; PARANORMAL ROMANCE NOVELS
I Burn for You, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2003.
I Thirst for You, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2003.
I Hunger for You, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2004.
(With Christine Feehan) The Shadows of Christmas Past: Two Novellas, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2004.
Crave the Night (omnibus; include the novels I Burn for You, I Hunger for You, and I Thirst for You), Pocket Books (New York, NY), 2005.
Master of Darkness, Pocket Star Books (New York, NY), 2006.
Primal Heat, Pocket Books (New York, NY), 2006.
OTHER
Gates of Hell, Speculation Press (Kingston, IL), 2000.
(With Marguerite Krause) Moons' Dreaming ("Children of the Rock" series), Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2003.
(With Marguerite Krause) Moons' Dancing ("Children of the Rock" series), Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2004.
Also author of the blog Susan Sizemore's Space. Work represented in anthologies, including Vengeance Fantastic, DAW, 2002; Pharaoh Fantastic, DAW, 2002; and The Magic Shop, DAW, 2004.
SIDELIGHTS:
Susan Sizemore is the author of romance novels, historical romances, fantasy, science fiction, and contemporary suspense. For example, her "Laws of the Blood" series is about the culture of vampirism in modern America. In her first book in the series, The Hunt, the author introduces readers to this modern vampire society, including its internal conflicts. On the one side are those vampires who want to keep the vampire laws designed to protect both them and humans; the other vampires want to forget about the laws. In this installment, Selim is an Enforcer located in Los Angeles who must contend with a group of vampires who want to hunt without restraint. "The characterizations are excellent, the plot strong and the pace well implemented," reported Steve Lazarowitz on the SF Site.
Partners continues the series and features Char, an Enforcer vampire whose job it is to keep vampires in line and their presence hidden from the normal humans. When Char discovers a cult in Seattle that threatens both vampires and humans, she must set out to destroy them while battling her own inner demons in the process. Lazarowitz, writing again on the SF Site, noted that the author "gives us a cast of memorable characters that are realistic, entertaining and interesting," adding: "Her descriptions are wonderful." In Companions, Selena Crawford is a homicide detective who is also the human companion of the vampire Istvan. Despite Selena's efforts to resist her attraction to Istvan, the two are soon working together on a case involving the mutilated corpses of vampires. Kristina Huntley, writing in Booklist, referred to Companions as "a rousing adventure."
The next book in the series, Deceptions, focuses on Olympias, an Enforcer vampire who tries to rid the Washington, DC, area of certain nests of vampires. However, Olympias raises the ire of her fellow vampires when she becomes attracted to a human, Mike Falconer, whom another vampire wants for a mate. Further complicating the issue is the fact that Mike is part of a secret government project that may have discovered the existence of vampires. Writing in Booklist, Huntley called the novel a "thrilling, sexually charged yarn." The fifth installment in the "Laws of the Blood" series, Heroes, finds vampires vacationing in Las Vegas. Charlotte has a human lover, Jebel, who is reluctant to let Charlotte turn him into a vampire. Also on hand is an Enforcer named Ben, who is out to uphold the vampire laws, and a group of vampires determined to bring down all of the Enforcers. Booklist critic Huntley wrote that the novel "opens up intriguing possibilities for future installments."
Sizemore is also the author of the "Primes Universe" paranormal romance series. Much like her "Laws of the Blood" series, these books present a modern-day vampire culture made up of various clans, including the Clan Primes, a group of vampires whose job it is to protect humans. However, the bulk of the stories focus on the paranormal romance element. For example, in I Burn for You, the first novel in the series, Alex Reynard of the Reynard Clan is undergoing an experiment to allow him to go out into the daylight. Working as a bodyguard, Reynard meets his soul mate, Domini Lancer, a mortal bodyguard who is nevertheless being hunted by fanatical vampire slayers. "This is definitely a book for readers who like romance novels that have a strong alpha male hero," according to a contributor to the Love Vampires Web site.
In the second book in the series, I Thirst for You, the author introduces the vampire Marcus Cage, who has escaped from medical scientists experimenting on him. He quickly comes across Jo Elliot, whom he recognizes as his soul mate. He drinks her blood and turns her into a vampire. However, Jo does not realize what has happened to her as she and Marcus hide from Marcus's former captors. Kristin Ramsdell, writing in the Library Journal, noted that the book "will appeal to fans who like their vampire heroes hot, sexy."
In addition to writing more mainstream romances such as the historical romance Scandalous Miranda, the author has also penned science fiction romances, such as The Gates of Hell. This novel revolves around the Sagouran plague, which threatens to wipe out every civilization it infects. Roxanne is a physician and a member of the most revered race in the universe, known as the healers of Kiltirah. Because of her healing abilities, she is sought after by several civilizations in crisis. As each group tries to get to her, intrigue and murder results. Roxanne is eventually kidnapped by space pirate Pyr. Despite Pyr's nasty reputation, the two develop a romance. "Sizemore's characters are strongly drawn and interesting," reported Lisa DuMond on the SF Site.
BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 15, 2001, Kristine Huntley, review of Companions, p. 201; October 15, 2002, Kristine Huntley, review of Deceptions, p. 396; October 1, 2003, Nina C. Davis, review of I Burn for You, p. 307; October 15, 2003, Kristine Huntley, review of Heroes, p. 400.
California Bookwatch, November, 2006, review of Primal Heat.
Kliatt, January, 2000, Joseph R. DeMarco, review of The Hunt, p. 24.
Library Journal, May 15, 2000, Kristin Ramsdell, review of On a Long Ago Night, p. 78; February 15, 2001, Kristin Ramsdell, review of The Price of Passion, p. 154; May 15, 2004, Kristin Ramsdell, review of I Thirst for You, p. 71; November 25, 2004, Kristen Ramsdell, review of The Shadows of Christmas Past: Two Novellas, p. 47.
MBR Bookwatch, May 1, 2005, review of I Hunger for You.
Publishers Weekly, November 1, 2004, review of The Shadows of Christmas Past, p. 49.
Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 2000, Shari Fesko, review of The Hunt, p. 50; June 1, 2003, review of Deceptions, p. 152.
ONLINE
All about Romance,http://www.likesbooks.com/ (September 20, 2004), Blythe Barnhill, review of On a Long Ago Night, Colleen McMahon, review of Partners, Rachel Potter, review of Companions, Liz Zink, review of Deceptions, Heidi L. Haglin, review of Too Wicked to Marry, and Rachel Potter, review of Captured Innocence.
Best Reviews,http://thebestreviews.com/ (September 11, 2001), Harriet Klausner, review of Companions; (November 5, 2001), Harriet Klausner, review of Gates of Hell; (December 1, 2001), Harriet Klausner, review of Too Wicked to Marry; (September 15, 2002), Harriet Klausner, review of Deceptions; (December 13, 2002), Harriet Klausner, review of Captured Innocence.
Crescent Blues Book Views,http://www.crescentblues.com/ (September 20, 2004), Jean Marie Ward, review of The Gates of Hell; (April 24, 2007), Jean Marie Ward, "Susan Sizemore: Multiple Mythos," interview with the author.
Love Vampires,http://www.lovevampires.com/ (April 24, 2007), reviews of Master of Darkness, I Hunger for Your, I Thirst for You, and I Burn for You.
ParaNormal Romance Reviews,http://pnr.thebestreviews.com/ (April 24, 2007), brief profile of Susan Sizemore.
Romance Reader,http://www.theromancereader.com/ (January 5, 1999), Thea Davis, review of His Last Best Hope; (June 12, 2000), Cathy Sova, review of On a Long Ago Night; (February 3, 2001), Wilda Turner, review of The Price of Passion; (January 21, 2002), Jean Mason, review of Too Wicked to Marry; (September 20, 2004), Cathy Sova, review of The Price of Innocence.
SF Site,http://www.sfsite.com/ (April 24, 2007), Steve Lazarowitz, reviews of Partners and The Hunt, Lisa DuMond, review of The Gates of Hell, and Cindy Lynn Speer, review of Deceptions.
SFFWorld.com,http://www.sffworld.com/ (December 1, 1999), interview with Susan Sizemore.
Susan Sizemore Home Page,http://www.susansizemore.com (September 20, 2004).
Vampire Genre,http://www.vampiregenre.com/ (January 29, 2006), review of Master of Darkness; (July 25, 2006), Vicky London, review of Primal Heat.
We Really Dig Romance Novels,http://www.wereallydig.com/ (April 24, 2007), "Interview with Romance Author Susan Sizemore."
Writing-World.com,http://www.writing-world.com/ (April 24, 2007), Moira Allen, "Writing with Bite: An Interview with Susan Sizemore."